Very unusual operation of the electron accelerator above Aragats mountain in Armenia a day after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria

TL;DR

This study reports an unusual series of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGEs) detected after a major earthquake, suggesting a possible link between seismic activity and electric field disturbances in the atmosphere.

Contribution

It presents evidence of earthquake-induced ionospheric and atmospheric electric field changes affecting particle acceleration above Aragats mountain.

Findings

Three TGEs detected within 10 hours after earthquake

Electric field strength estimated at 2.1 kV/cm at 3300-5300 m altitude

Unusual operation of the electron accelerator observed post-earthquake

Abstract

During the multiyear monitoring of particle fluxes and near-surface electric field (NSEF) on the Aragats research station, no runway relativistic electron avalanches have been observed in the January-February months. The large peaks and energies of TGE particles originating from the electron-gamma avalanches in the thundercloud are observed in the Spring-Autumn months when the electric field inside the cloud often exceeds the runaway threshold strength. On February 7, 2023, suddenly, all particle detectors registered 3 TGEs within 10 hours without any unusual local weather conditions. We consider these TGEs as indirect evidence of the influence of strong earthquakes on the previous day on the ionosphere and via the ionosphere on the structure and strength of the intracloud electric field above Aragats mountain. Recovered energy spectra of TGE electrons and gamma rays prove nearly one hour the strength of the electric field above Aragats at the heights 3300-5300 m comprises 2.1 kV/cm.